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architectureinfrastructure2019

Biodiversity tree in Montpellier

“This structure was made for the Renouard wine estate and is intended as a bat nesting box.”
About the project

This structure was made for the Renouard wine estate and is intended as a bat nesting box. In recent years, an awareness has emerged about the importance of bats in sustainable agriculture. Not only can a bat eat 600 mosquitoes a day, but it is also greedy for the eudemis, which are very present in the southern Rhône Valley and which lay their larvae in bunches. The Renouard estate is unfortunately not adapted: the building is modern, with no accessible space for these flying mammals, and the young trees planted are not sufficiently developed to accommodate them. They therefore thought about creating a habitat specially designed for bats that lasts over time and is aesthetically pleasing to blend in with its environment.

Biodiversity tree design

Bats need a very specific habitat that is difficult to reproduce with traditional techniques because of its complex forms. This is why we have opted for a 3D printed structure. This allowed us to optimise the modules of the shelter, which were designed based on specifications taking into account the needs of several species of bats and birds. Landscaping integration, adaptation to the technology and optimization of spaces for the different species guided the project to make it a unique achievement.

Credits
Client
Renouard wine estate
Architect / Designer
Alban Mallet (XtreeE), Karsten Schmalle, engineer-ecologist, vertebrate fauna expert
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